That rule is simply inapplicable to beach launching. Doing 5 knts max in surf is asking for trouble. That would be obvious to anyone who launches in the surf I would expect. Going out, like today, I waited several hrs for a tide turn to knock the edge off the surf. The big sets were boat breaking waves. Once we got a chance after idling out in the small sets, I spied a gap and floored it. Thats a normal day here.
There is no way you could get thru that stuff at 5knts, ever. And coming in, the safest thing is to get on the back of one and stay there. Any other plan B is asking for trouble. And it will find you.
The ramp at Manu Bay is about another 0.5 k or more to that guys right. What he was doing in there I don't know - whether he had to be there, or simply chose to be there. If he chose to be there, that is pretty stupid. From what I recall, the boat had a decent wave up the rear, and was skewed on the face. I wouldn't want to be on the boat.
But that pic of a boat in the surf amongst surfers/swimmers etc is a daily occurence for us. No other options really.
Alan